Navigation map gauge



i y 1950 J. P. PUTNAM NAVIGATION MAP GAUGE Filed Dec. 24, 1943 PatentedJuly 11 1950 u mrso STATES .g- ENT OF Fix-ice 2,514,455 7 NAVIGATIONGAUGE John P. *Putnarn, Boston, Mass., -assignor, 'by mesneassignments,to The Reece-:(Eorporation, Boston,'Mass.,- a' corporation ofMassachusetts "Application December 24, 1943; Serial No. 515,626

'Claim5. (015 33 137) "This invention relates *to'the art fornavigation, especially aerial navigation, by the use of charts or maps.

3in the use of aeronautical maps, it has'hitherto been customary; andusually necessary," for the pilotto plot his proposed course on th map'by drawing thereon line from the 'poi'nt of departure to or through theobjective point or points, ultimate or intermediate, and thereafter,

during flight, in or'derto determine his position from time to "time,repeatedly measure the various 'distances along these-*l-ines by the useof a separate scale. 'Lin'es-so'drawn on the map cannot subsequently b'eerased,'even' partially,

"without damaging thesurfa'ce of the 'ma'p 'and destroyingsome-of theindicia thereon, but must [be allowed to remain, so that after numerous*flights between various points a'map will become -so-"m arked up'and'defaced as tofbe unintelligible and virtually uselessfrequiring itsreplacement.

Even the presenceof a few lines on the maptends to confuse the pilot andmaterially increase the hazards of 'fl-yi'ng. Also" the necessity ofrepeatedly 'scaling' the-- plotted lines tends to "distract "the 'pilotsattention from the operation and control of the plane {this beingparticularly disadvantageous in the "case of a-m'an by himself 'in'aplane and underunfavorable'flying condi- "tions'such as bad weather,engine trouble,- etc.

The present invention has'for'fi'ts primaryobfleet-to} contributeinateri'ally to the safety and convenience of the pilot of an airplaneby'elimihating -the necessity of drawing and scaling lines' on a,pilotage mapjthereby prolonging the having one face coated with "anch-hardening adhesive, whereby said 1 tape can be stretched across themap between the pointof departure -and theobjective, and attachd in thisposition to' the map, but can readily be removed from the map, upon thecompletion of the -fii'g-ht, leav- "ing the map in its original unmarrdcondition. "The graduations' of the tape directly indic'ate thedistances on the map without scaling.

*suc h a tape is especially, although notexclus'ive'ly; adapted toadvantageous use in conn'ection with =a= pilotage watch of the typedoscribed in -the patent to Reece No. 2334287,

'November l6, 194.3. "A watch of this 'type comprises a scale graduatedin distances, and'the "spacing of the g'ra'cluations of which arevariable in accordance with ground speed, together'with 1 a handmovableover the scale at a rate proportional i to elapsedfiight time,and adapted to be started at the zeropoint on the scale'at the moment ofdeparture, wherebythe" hand will, at anytime, indicate on'th'e scale'the' distance traversed from the point- 0f d'eparture at that "time.

The graduations of' 'the watch-scale are of such a character as todifferentiate between d'i'stance intervals of different '-magnitudes,'for example-different colors 'beingemployedto repre- By making the'graduatio'ns of I the tape- -map scale' correspohd,-as to-their coloror other-differentiatingcharacteristics, to those of the Wa'toh'fs'cale'," the pilot can; at any time, 'b companng 1 the -p'o'sition of"the watch hand with res ect-to the 'graduations of "the watch scale-with the corresponding 1 graduations on T the "map s'cale, immediatelyidentify his position on 'the- "ma *withoutany 'ineasur'ement or eomutationwhatever. I V

The invention will best be understood from the foll'owing description ofan illustrative embodimentthereof'shown in the accompanying drawingsin"which Fig. 1. is'apla'n viewof a tape embodying-the 1 present invention.

Fig.2 is a plan View of atapeembodying the -:present invention 'inamodified form.

"Figfi3-is"a: perspective view "of a'cas'ing hold- "ing a supply oftape.

- ta'cle'andcover, respectively,'whiclimake up the casing. A 1

*Fig. 5a isia fragmentary section' through"the casing.

Fig. fi perspecti vely illustrates a' ma'p 'case to which-a piece oftape has been attached in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. '7 1 is a plan view of a pilo'ta'ge watch used conjunction with thetape on the inap" case.

=In- Fig. v is shown at it-a pilo'ta'ge' wa'tch or the type disclosedinthe '-Reece "patent above referred to. I Said Wat'chj-asmore fullydes'cribed said patent; includes a minute mana e movahleover a distancescale -the 'grad uations of *which' comprise the points of intersectionwithta.

spiral slot IS, in a dial disk M, of spiral lines 24 on a disk l8. Thedisk I8 may be angularly adjusted with respect to the dial disk M, tovary the spacing of the graduations, by means of a knob 19. The dialdisk is inscribed about its margin with a minute scale I5, with its zeropoint opposite the outer end of the slot l8, and is angularly adjustableby means of a knob IT.

For convenience in reading, certain of the lines 24 are so marked as tocontrast with the other lines. Thus, every tenth line 24a,corresponding, for example, to 100 mile intervals, may be colored red,and the intermediate fifth lines 241), corresponding, for example, to 50mile intervals, may be colored green, while the remaining lines 24 maybe black.

The use of the pilotage watch or time piece, referred to and more fullyshown and described in the beforementioned Reece patent, is as follows.At the time of departure, the dial I4 is angularly set by the knob I! tobring the zero point of the minute scale which is opposite the outer endof the spiral slot it into register with the continuously moving minutehand 23 (see full line position of said hand in Fig. 7), as

, well as align the zero point of the distance scale in the dial slot 16(outer end of said slot) with said minute hand. The ground speed inmiles per hour having been estimated, the disc 18 is turned by the knobl9 relative to the set dial [4 .traversed from the point of departure atthat moment, assuming the correctness of the initially estimated groundspeed for which the disc l8 has been set. This ground speed can,however. be checked and verified, or the setting of the instrumentcorrected in this respect, at ,any period in the flight by observing arecognizable landmark whose distance in miles from the point ofdeparture is known or can be scaled on a map. Thus, after flying foralmost 25 minutes, for instance, the minute hand 23 will assume thedotted line position 23a, and the pilot may then find himself over alandmark known to be 40 miles from the point of departure. Since theminute hand 23 at that time intersects the 40 mile line 24 in the dialslot IS, the pilot knows ,that his time piece is set for the correctground speed. However, should the distance of the referred landmark fromthe departure point be other than 40 miles, the pilot when passing saidlandmark just when the minute hand reaches the position 23a, turns thedisc l8 until the distance scale in the dial slot indicates opposite theminute hand the distance of said landmark from the departure point,whereupon said distance scale will indicate the actual ground speedopposite the index mark "in.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown a strip or tape 38 of paper orany other suitable flexible, transparent or non-transparent material,having its back face coated with adhesive and having its front facemarked with transverse lines 3| constituting repeating differentiatinggradua- 6) on which a proposed flight may be charted. The map 32 ispreferably placed in a transparent case 33 for protection as well asmore feasible handling of the same. When used in connection 7 tions onthe same scale as that of a map 32 (Fig.

with the pilotage watch above described, those graduations on the tape30 which correspond to the differently marked or contrasted distancegraduations of the pilotage watch are marked the same as the lattergraduations in order to obtain the same contrast in the appearance ofboth graduation groups. Thus, in the example shown, every tenthgraduation cm on the tape 30, corresponding to a mile interval, iscolored red. the same as the corresponding graduation 24a, of thepilotage watch l0, and the intermediate fifth graduations 3") on thesame tape, corresponding to 50 mile intervals, are colored green, thesame as the corresponding graduations 24b of the pilotage watch.

Preferably prior to an intended flight from a large city A to a smallercity B (Fig. 6) the pilot sticks the tape 30, or whichever lengththereof is required, to the map case 33 (or, if preferred, directly tothe map), so that a red graduation on said tape is opposite the point ofdeparture A on the map 32 and the tape itself is in line with, andconnects, the points of departure and destination on said map. When thepilot, after having first set his pilotage watch in accordance with anestimated ground speed of 100 miles per hour, for instance (Fig. 7),passes over the juncture C of two highways, he need merely observewhether the distance graduation 24 on his watch, corresponding to the 40miles graduation on the tape 30 opposite the juncture C on the map, isjust then traversed by the minute hand 23. If this is the case, he knowsthat his watch is correctly set. If this is not the case, he willcorrect the setting of his watch, as explained. The pilot may as readilyrecheck his watch when passing over the tip of a lake D and a town E,for instance (Fig. 6), and verify the ground speed indicated by hiswatch or correct the same in accordance with the actual ground speed ifthe same has in the meantime changed due to favorable or unfavorablewind conditions, for instance. If the pilot has correctly set his watcheither initially or over the juncture C of the two highways, and theactual ground speed did not change, the minute hand 23 will reach thedash-line positions 23?) and 230 and the dot-and-dash line position 23dwhen the plane passes over the tip of the lake D and over the town E,and reaches the destination point B, respectively. In accordance withone feature of the invention, the adhesive employed for coating the tapeis of the nonhardening type commonly used on so-called Scotch Tape. Ifsuch an adhesive is used, the tape, after it has served its purpose, canbe readily removed from the map case; or, if the tape is directlyattached to the map, it can be as readily removed from the latterwithout in any way damaging the surface of the latter. Thereafter thesame or another length of tape can be applied to the map in accordancewith another course, and subsequently removed, and this procedure can berepeated indefinitely while leaving the map in substantially itsoriginal condition, thereby greatly prolonging its life.

Is is evident from the foregoing that the intermediation of the tape 30between the map and pilotage watch greatly facilitates the correctsetting of the latter. Thus, to check the setting of his watch and usethe same with full advantage, the pilot need not determine or even knowthe distances to any points on the contemplated course, including thedestination point, nor need he previously decide on, and later watchfor, any specific landmark or landmarks over which to premises check thesetting. of his: wat'ch,:1for the: tape.;.on

"the. map case indicates to'rrhim at av glance the distance from the:departure point of any prominent landmark, previously known or unknownto him, over whichzhe may check the setting of his pilotage watch at hisconvenience; The watch "having beenset or adjusted for ground speed, thepilot can, at any moment, by comparing the indication of the watch handon the watch distance scale with the corresponding point or graduationon the map scale,, immediately determine hisposition on the map. It thusbecomes clear that the application or the tape 39 to the map not onlyeliminates the heretofore indispensible preliminary task of analyzing achartered course for suitable check points en route and intermediatedistances, but also avoids the necessity of measuringdistances on themap, simplifies the use of the pilotage watch and greatly enhances itsvalue in navigation.

Fig. 2 shows another strip or tape M'whi'ch is preferably of transparentpaper and has its back side coated with adhesive. At its front face, thetape iil is provided with transverse lines or gradnations 4'! which arein every respect like those on the tape 36 in Fig. l. Intersecting thegraduations M is a median index or base line 42 which is to be lined upwith the points of departure and destination on a map. The advantage ofthe transparent tape 40 over the previously described tape 30 liestherein that the graduations of the former tape are better suited forready coordination with check points on either side of the course on amap due to the extension of said graduations to both sides of thecourse. The course on the map is, moreover, distinctly marked by themedian line 42 on the tape 40, and this median line, together with theintersecting graduations, more readily indicate to the pilot when heswerves oif the course and to what extent.

A supply of the graduated tape material of either type described (Figs.1 or 2) is advantageously rolled up as at 48 (Fig. 4) and placed in acasing ts from which it may be paid out in any length required. Thecasing 49 preferably consists of a suitably formed receptacle 50, havinga central hollow arbor 51 on which the tape roll 48 is journalled. Acover 52 (Fig. is employed to close the receptacle 50. The receptacle 5Dis also provided with a mouth 53 through which the leading end 48a ofthe tape roll 48 extends. The wall 54 of the receptacle 50 is continuedbeyond the mouth 53 to form a tape guide 55 of which an end portion 56is substantially flat for pressing, and thereby attaching, the tape to amap or map case. The front edge of the tape guide 55 is serrated at 5!for severing from the supply a length of tape after attachment of sameto a map or map case. To removably secure the cover 52 to the receptacle50, a preferably hollow post 58 on said cover is received in the hollowarbor 5| of said receptacle. The arbor 5| and post 58 are preferablyprovided with impressed beads 59 (Fig. 5a) which are so arranged thatthey register (Fig. 501.) when the cover 52 closes the receptacle 50 andrests on a shoulder 60 on the tape guide 55. The registering beads 59thus locate the cover 52 on the receptacle 5% and also releasably lockthe former on the latter. To facilitate the registry of the beads 59,the hollow post 58 on the cover is longitudinally split at 6 I.

In applying tape to a map or map case, the leading end 48 of the taperoll is drawn away fromltne t'ap'e' guide -55of the': casing isuntiiithesflrst' re'd graduation shows upon the tape beyondsaid -t'a'pe guide. Aman portion ofth'e tape withdrawn-and containing the first red graduatiommay 'then beattached to the map or map case such that saidgraduation aligns with the point of departure on the map." More tape maythen be withdrawn from the-casingd9: and'attached -t'o the :map or mapcase a afterfirst aligning the withdrawn tape with the point -ofdestination on the in'ap. The tape attached 'to the map or mafp case isfinally severed from the supplyr'oll with-the aid' of the serrated edge51 of the tape g-uide 55. 7 The provision of a tape roll and itsplacement in a-c'asing results in a highly practicalnavigation-instrument which is small, compact and easy to hand-le, andwhich provides tape'for nu"- merous fiights and is easily refilled withanew tape-roll.

' The present tape is also advantageously used without a pilot'agewatch. Thus, the attach merit of the tape 39 to a map or map-case (Fig.6) along an intended' course facilitates the charting of thecourseand-immediately indicates to the--pilotprominent landmarks on the courseand the distances thereto. The tape thus serves, previous to a flight,to acquaint the pilot with all particulars of the course except thedirec tion of the same, and also aids the pilot during a flight tofollow the proper course and observe the progress of the flight bycomparing a prominent landmark recognized or noted by him with themarking of the same landmark on the map.

lvloreover, the herein described map scale, in the form of anon-elastic, freely flexible, suitably graduated adhesive tape or strip,obviates the necessity of the use of the straight edges heretoforerequired in pencil plotting the prospective course or courses on themap, since, as above explained, it is merely necessary to attach thetape or strip to the map at the point of departure and then stretch itacross the map to the first objective point and attach it at otherpoints, thereby automatically establishing a straight line or course onthe map which course, due to the graduations on the tape scale, requiresno subsequent scaling. Therefore, the hitherto necessary straight edgesand separate scales are dispensed with. The elimination or reduc tion innumber of the instruments necessary to use on a flight is of importanceunder practical flying conditions. Furthermore, the non-hardeningcharacter of the adhesive used on the tape makes it possible to applylengths of tape to the map and remove them when they have served theirpurpose, which, in turn, enables the pilot, by use of the tape, tosolve, directly on the map, various navigation problems which haveheretofore had to be laid out on separate plotting paper, requiring theuse of still other instruments, such as dividers or compasses, etc.,whose necessity is likewise eliminated by the use of the tape.

I claim:

1. A map scale capable of attachment to and removal from the surface ofa map without injury to said surface comprising a non-elastic, flexibletape graduated with repeating differentiating graduations on the samescale as that of the map with which it is to be used and having one facecoated with a non-hardening adhesive, said graduations being visible onthe face opposite to that on which the tape is coated.

2. A map scale capable of attachment to and removal from the surface ofa map without injury to said surface comprising a non-elastic flexibletape graduated on one face with repeating differentiating graduations onthe same scale as that of the map with which it is to be used and havingits opposite face coated with a non-hardening adhesive.

3. A map scale capable of attachment to and removal from the surface ofa map without injury to said surface, comprising a non-elastic flexibletape graduated on one face with repeating differentiating graduations onthe same scale as that of the map with which it is to be used, some ofwhich graduations are of differing colors repeated in sequence, andhaving its opp site face coated with a non-hardening adhesive.

4. A map scale capable of attachment to and removal from the surface ofa map without injury to said surface comprising a non-elastic opaquenarrow flexible tape having a width approaching that of a line, saidtape being graduated on one face with repeating difierentiatinggraduations on the same scale as that of the map with which it is to beused and having its opposite face coated with a non-hardening adhesive.

5. A map scale capable of attachment to and removal from the surface ofa map comprising a transparent non-elastic flexible tape inscribed withan index or base line and graduated with repeating differentiatinggraduations on the same scale as that of the map with which it is to beused, said tape having a face coated with a nonhardening adhesive.

1 JOHN P. PUTNAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 975,689 Greenwood Nov. 15, 19101,116,918 Putnam et a1; Nov. 10, 1914 1,534,055 Coughlin Apr. 21, 19251,969,939 Nelson Aug. 14, 1934 2,177,627 Drew et al Oct. 31, 19392,187,087 Leary Jan. 16, 1940 2,334,287 Reece Nov. 16, 1943 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 406,488 Great Britain Mar. 1, 1934

